Anshar 2: Hyperdrive [Quest 2] | REVIEW

Anshar 2: Hyperdrive was one of those games that wasn’t really on my radar, but that I ended up having a really fun time playing. It’s a remastered release of Anshar Wars 2, which had previously launched on the Oculus Rift and Gear VR back in 2016. This new edition brings with it some refinements to the core gameplay experience and visuals, as well as the inclusion of multiplayer modes that can be tackled in both competitive and co-operative play.

Check out a gallery of screenshots down below:

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Anshar 2: Hyperdrive is a space shooter that puts players in the role of a new recruit that works for the Ansharian forces, who are currently waging war against the Nergal forces. Things take a bad turn for Anshar when they find out that not only is one of their previous fighters now siding with Nergal, but they’ve also devised a super weapon that’s capable of wiping out planets. It’s up to you to bring an end to them, though a few complications along the way ensure it isn’t an easy ride.

The story is fine, albeit a little predictable, though some decent voice acting ensures it never grows stale as you play. Whilst there aren’t any super fancy cut scenes to tell the story, there are enough back-and-forth interactions between characters during missions for you to be invested in the plight and feel closer to your allies. It’s also worth noting that I was able to follow the story without playing the previous game in the series, though I do think some plot points might be more familiar to those who were around for the first release.

The controls of the game are pretty straightforward, though they can feel a little unconventional for the genre. Players will control their ship’s movement by simply moving the left controller, whilst the target reticule is controlled by moving the right controller. Everything plays out over a fixed camera angle, though this can be shifted by hitting left and right on the analogue stick (there is both snap and smooth options available, so you can use whatever suits you). It’s a system that works, though not always being able to see what was directly left or right of me when shifting camera angles did cause a few accidental crashes that I would’ve normally avoided in more conventional releases in the genre. Luckily, these instances were few and far between so it’s not a big problem, but don’t be surprised if you get caught off-guard here and there and suffer a frustrating death.

“Each mission of Anshar 2: Hyperdrive gives players something different to do, with the variety on offer and the different ships you use ensuring that the action remains exciting.”

One new inclusion in Anshar 2: Hyperdrive is the first-person camera perspective, which plays a little differently and sees one of your controllers essentially take on the role of your ship’s control stick. Whilst it’s really cool that it’s possible to play this way and it does make the gameplay more immersive, I found I enjoyed the game’s third-person mode more. Playing first-person could get manic fast thanks to all of the frantic movements you have to make, whilst I also found myself spinning out of control on a regular basis – if you’re used to playing in virtual reality, you’ll know that this isn’t always comfortable for the player. I’m sure it will appeal to plenty of players though, whilst it was a feature that was requested by the community, so it’s nice to see that the team at OZWE listened.

The game’s single player campaign takes place over thirteen missions, with each one typically beaten in under five minutes (with the exception of the last level). Each mission brings with it a new location to visit and plenty of varied objectives, so it’s easy to forgive their somewhat short length.

Sometimes you might be taking out an outpost at sea on an ice planet whilst avoiding tornadoes, whilst other times you’ll be collecting EMP grenades to wipe out satellites. Another time you might be weaving through tunnels to destroy enemy generators, whilst the next mission might see you chasing down and destroying a train in tricky terrain. Each mission of Anshar 2: Hyperdrive gives players something different to do, with the variety on offer and the different ships you use ensuring that the action remains exciting. Whilst some missions were admittedly more enjoyable than others, there wasn’t a single one that I didn’t have fun playing through.

As mentioned though, it is short, with some missions beaten in just over a minute or so if you’re especially good at handling your ship. Fortunately, some optional objectives as well as mission rankings bring some replayability to the experience, so those who want to earn gold medals across the board will spend some time re-playing missions. Still, it’s a fleeting experience either way, so don’t expect to be putting a ton of hours into the single player campaign.

“I loved seeing the varied locales around me, whether that was when on one of the vibrant planets or when surrounded by space debris, whilst having ships fly past or stalking an enemy to destroy them always felt great too.”

Luckily, there is multiplayer, with a battle royale-style mode, deathmatch, and co-op missions offered to keep players coming back for more. Unfortunately, playing pre-launch means that I haven’t had the chance to try these out, though I’m sure they’ll be a lot of fun IF the game gets an active community. There’s even multiplayer progression on offer, with new ship skins, helmets, and controller skins earned by levelling up. I’m looking forward to seeing how multiplayer holds up when the game is released, because it could be something I play on a regular basis. The only real caveat is that there didn’t seem to be a lot of options of play in the multiplayer menu, with each game mode seemingly having one map each. The developer has mentioned these will change up with updates, but it’d be nice to have more options from the get-go.

One thing I have to praise about the game is the way it feels to play in virtual reality. I loved seeing the varied locales around me, whether that was when on one of the vibrant planets or when surrounded by space debris, whilst having ships fly past or stalking an enemy to destroy them always felt great too. It’s one of those games that really benefits from the immersion offered by virtual reality, whether that’s when playing in third or first-person viewpoints. The visuals are really slick too, even if they do adopt a simpler design when compared to the more realistic space shooters.

Developer: OZWE
Publisher: OZWE
Platform(s): Quest 2 (Reviewed), Quest
Website: https://www.ozwe.com/anshar2hyperdrive/